Bicycle



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shee t 1. F. H. P'EGK.

' BICYCLE.

No. 523,942. Patented July 31, 1894.

WITNESSES: r IINYENTCSR.

5 2? ATTORNEY 2 SheetsShee1; 2.

(No Model.\

F. H. PEOK. g

BIGYGLE- No. 523,942. Patented J111y31, 1894..

WITNESSES: INVENTOR ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT Onmcn.

FAYETTE .H. PEOK, OF CLINTON, NEW YORK.

BICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 523,942, dated July 31, 18 94.

Application filed April 14, 1893- To all whom it may concern: l3e 1t known that I, FAYETTE H. PEOK, of Ol1nton,in the county of Oneida, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bicycles, of which the followlng, taken in connection with the accompanymg drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to devices employed for varying the transmission of power from the driving shaft to the propelling wheel so that either rapid motion maybe imparted to the wheel with moderate power applied to the shaft while traveling over a smooth level road, or slow motion of the wheel with increased power onto the shaft may be obtained when traveling over an ascending grade.

7 The object of my present invention is to accomplish the aforesaid results by more compact and more efficient means. And to that end the invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts herelnafter fully described and specifically set forth in the claims.

In the annexed drawings Figure 1 is.an inner side-view of my improved power transmitter in connection with the brake-rod of the bicycle. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section on line 0a, 0a, in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view,

of the interior of the sprocket wheel, and Fig.

5 is an inner side view of a modification of my invention.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 B- denotes the hanger in which is journaled the driving axle -O which latter has afiixed to its ends the usual cranks -P. To one end of said hanger is rigidly attached the catch-plate awhich is provided with the notch a.' in its periphery. Adjacent to said catch-plate is the driving pinion --bfasten ed to the axle. The hub of this pinionis'sufiiciently elongated to be provided with the ball bearings -b' -b-=-' at opposite sides of the web of the pinion as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Upon the outer of said ball bearings is mounted the sprocket-wheel -D- which is formed with an annular cavity --D-== on its inner side and formed with the rack "#0" on Serial No. 470,322. (No model.)

the interior of the rim of said wheel. Upon the other of the aforesaid ball-bearings is mounted the annular plate P the periphery of which is fitted to the interior of the rim of thewheel-D-by ball-bearings -d. The aforesaid ball-bearings not only relieve the sprocket wheel from friction but also serve to sustain said wheel in its requisite plane at right angles to the axle, and by mounting the sprocket-wheel D and plate -P on the hub of the pinion b-, the said parts are arranged in a most compact and very neat manner.

To the plate --P are fastened gudgeons -2'4I- on which are mounted the intermediate pinions --ee which mesh with each other and with the pinion b and rack cas shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The said intermediate pinions I provide with ball-bearings ZZ on the gudgeons to obviate friction.

To the inner edge of the rim of the sprocket. wheel is fastened an inwardlytoothed annular ratchet plate f, and to the plate P is pivoted the duplex pawl -g-, one end of which is adapted to engage and release the notch a' of the catch plate a-, and the opposite end is adapted to engage and release the ratchet-plate f. A springg'- holds said pawl normally in engagement with said ratchet plate, and when thus engaged it is released from the notch a. To the catch plate is connected a suitable tripper t which may consist of a disk pivoted to the catch-plate and formed with the tooth h.

and cam h on its periphery as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The said tripper is connected by a rod rto one of the arms of a bell-crank lever -jpivoted to the head I- of the frame. The other arm of the lever j is connected to a rod swhich may be the brake-rod moved longitudinally by a suitable lever connected to the upper end of the head I- not necessary to be shown.

Fig. 5' of the drawings shows locking devices dilfering somewhat in construction from those shown in the other figures, but which operate in substantially the same manner. The part a forming the catch-plate is shown as a segment of a disk integral with the hanger B, and provided with a notch 2' in its edge, for the duplex pawl g, and the part t" called the tripper consists of a small bar pivoted near its center to the catch plate near and upon one side of the notch, z, and carrying a tooth y, to engage the duplex pawl. The cam y for assisting the removal of the said pawl from the notch when the tripper is operated to release the pawl, g, from the catch-plate, is formed by one end of the said tripper-bar, thg other end of the bar is connected to the ro r. p

All of the ball-bearings of the sprocketwheel D and plates -P- are protected from dust by disks -0-. 0- of felt or other suitable material secured to the outer sides of the said wheel and plate.

Any matters shown or described herein, but not claimed, are not dedicated to the public, but are claimed in my application, Serial No. 483,028, filed August 12, 1893.

The operation of the described differentiating power-transmitter is as follows: The pawl g being held normally engaged with the ratchet-plate --flocks the plate -P- on the ratchet-wheel, hence the power is transmitted from the driving pinion --bdirectly to the sprocket-wheel and compels the same to revolve in unison with the said pinion. The sprocket-wheel is thus geared for high speed and in this condition the powertransmitter is maintained while the bicycle is propelled over a smooth level road. When ascending a grade, the rider of the bicycle applies pressure on the rod -s and this turns, by means of the lever --j-- and rod 1'-, the tripper -tso as to throw the tooth L in the path of the inner end of the duplex pawl -g, which is thereby drawn out of engagement with the ratchet-plate -fand made to engage the notch -a. of the catch-plate -a.. This looks the plate P- to the plate -a and therefore holds said plate stationary. As soon as this is efiected the intermediate pinions e-c are caused to transmit the power from the driving pinion b to the rack --c-- which is integral with the sprocketwheel. The speed of the latter is thus reduced and the power is greatly increased inits transmission.

When it is desired to change the gears for higlrspeed the rider reverses his operation on the rod s and thereby turns the tripper -tback so as to cause the cam -h' thereof to throw the pawl out of the notch -coand allow said pawl to spring into engagement with the ratchet-plate -f.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1 1. The combination, with the driving axle and hanger, of the pinion on the driving axle, the loosely mounted sprocket wheel provided with the rack, the plate movable independently of the aforesaid pinion and sprocket wheel, the pinions pivoted to said plate and engaging the pinion on the axle and the rack, the annular ratchet rigid on the sprocketwheel, the catch-plate fastened to the hanger, the duplex pawl adapted to engage alternately the aforesaid ratchet and catch-plate, and the tripper for throwing the said pawl in engagement with the catch-plate, as set forth.

2. In combination with the axle -O-, hanger -B-, pinion -b, loosely mounted sprocket-wheel D-- provided with the rack -c-, plate -P revoluble on the hub of said pinion, pinions --e-c pivoted to said plate, and ratchet fixed to the sprocketwheel, the catch-plate -a-- fastened to the hanger and provided with the notch -a.'--, the duplex pawl gadapted to engage al-- ternately said ratchet and notch of the catchplate, a spring holding said pawl normally engaged with the ratchet, and the tripper -tunder control of the operator and provided with the tooth -h--, and cam h'- for throwing the pawl in and out of engage ment with the notch of the catch-plate, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 29th day of March, 1893. v FAYETTE I-I. PEOK. [L. s]

Witnesses:

H. M. SEAMANS, J. J. LAASS. 

